Sherman Creek

Where The Sidewalk Ends… Waterfront Parks Begin

Photo by Daniel Avila

Shel Silverstein wrote of that fantastical place where the sidewalk ends where “there the grass grows soft and white, and there the sun burns crimson bright, and there the moon-bird rests from his flight to cool in the peppermint wind.” But what about where the street ends? In Northern Manhattan, Parks is working to create such an idyllic atmosphere in the form of waterfront parks.

On November 29, Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe joined Department of Transportation Commissioner Iris Weinshall, Council Member Miguel Martinez, Community Board 12 Chair Martin Collins, and third and fifth graders from P.S. 152 Dyckman Valley School to break ground on five street-end parks, from West 202nd through 206th Streets. The parks will reconnect the Inwood community to the waterfront as part of the Mayor’s citywide waterfront Greenway initiative. The project is being funded by $2.1 from Mayor Bloomberg and $200,000 from Council Member Martinez.

The concept for street-end parks comes from the Sherman Creek Interagency Initiative convened by Deputy Mayor Daniel Doctoroff and led by the Economic Development Corporation (EDC). EDC acted as the funding conduit and aided in coordinating the community planning efforts. The initiative was a collaborative effort of multiple City agencies and the local community board to develop a comprehensive plan for the larger Sherman Creek community. One goal was to reconnect the community to the Harlem River waterfront. These parks are the first phase in a longer-term effort to reclaim the waterfront and provide continuous waterfront access from Dyckman Street north to the University Heights Bridge.

At 202nd Street, there will be a colored concrete paved seating area surrounded by ornamental native plantings, a handicap-accessible ramp, and a kayak launch. The park at 203rd Street, the largest of the parks, will feature a tree-shaded picnic and barbeque facility, a performance space and spray shower plaza, waterfront seating with decorative pavements, and fishing access. The 204th Street park is designed to complement its proximity to a thriving area of food vendors and will contain a shaded group of picnic tables surrounded by flowering vine-covered trellis walls and waterfront seating with decorative pavings. At 205th Street, there will be a gathering space with game tables and waterfront seating. The smallest site, at 206th Street, will feature waterfront seating surrounded by ornamental native plantings.

We hope that Shel Silverstein would be proud.

THE BIG RED OAK IN FOREST PARK

THE INSANITY OF THE CITY RESCUED BY A TREE ALL ELSE IS HOT AND HARSH; BUT UNDER THE GRANDFATHER OAK THE AIR IS COOL AND FULL OF LIFE.

WHEN THE INCESSANT TRAFFIC STOPS FOR A SECOND OR TWO THE FACE OF PRIMORDIAL FOREST PEAKS OUT AT ME WE SHARE OUR TREE SECONDS OF SILENCE TILL THE NEXT BUS PASSES.

BUT I CAN FEEL THE POWER AND BEAUTY OF THE FOREST UNDER MY TREE, PROBABLY A SAPLING IN GEORGE WASHINGTON’S DAY.

WHAT A WONDROUS FORM OF LIFE THIS TREE, TOWERING OVER 100 FEET ABOVE, HOME TO CREATURES WHO TAKE ITS MAJESTY AS A HOME.

IT SEEMS SILLY TO GO BACK TO WORK; WHY CAN’T I SIT HERE ALL DAY AND LEARN MY TREES SECRETS?

SOMEHOW THE BIG RED OAK TELLS ME, I’M JUST FINE AND I CAN COME BACK AND VISIT.

Written by Forestry Inspector Chris Weckerle

QUOTATION FOR THE DAY

“If the track is tough and the hill is rough, THINKING you can just ain’t enough!”